Nearer My God to Thee (S03E01)
Airdate: 14 October 1994
Written by: Jorge Zamacona
Directed by: Tim Hunter
Running Time: 49 minutes
The successful run of the miniature Season 2 of Homicide: Life on the Street ultimately paved the way for the show to secure a proper regular season, comprising 20 or more episodes, a benchmark that successful drama series were expected to achieve on 1990s US broadcast networks. However, the first episode of this new season, Nearer My God to Thee, unfortunately, exemplifies the drawbacks that can accompany a show's transition into the mainstream. This episode, in particular, appears weaker compared to the exceptional standards set by the preceding two seasons.
Nearer My God to Thee opens with a strong intent from NBC to kick off the season with a gripping multi-episode arc centred around a high-profile murder case, often referred to as a “redball” case in police jargon. The narrative begins with the shocking discovery of Katherine Goodrich, a respected humanitarian and founder of a battered women's shelter, found dead and naked except for a pair of white gloves. Her recent accolade as "Good Samaritan of the Year" by city authorities places immense pressure on the Baltimore Police Department to prioritise this investigation. This urgency sets the stage for a tense and politically charged narrative that aims to capture viewers' attention right from the outset.
The investigation is spearheaded by Lieutenant Megan Russert, portrayed by Isabella Hoffman, who is introduced as a new regular member of the cast. Despite her impressive credentials as a graduate of the US Navy Academy and her experience as an intelligence officer, Russert faces skepticism and condescension from some male detectives. Lieutenant Giardello’s willingness to support Russert’s shift demonstrates an attempt at collaboration between units; however, underlying tensions surface, particularly between detectives Pembleton and Gaffney (played by Walt Macpherson), the latter being revealed as bigoted racist due to his remark.
As Russert strives to maintain peace between her team and Giardello’s detectives, she must also safeguard the integrity of her investigation. A significant subplot involves her negotiations with news reporter Matt Rhodes (played by Tony Todd) to prevent crucial details about the case from leaking to the media. The investigation itself is fraught with difficulties; it yields few leads or suspects, and crucially, Goodrich's body shows no signs of sexual assault, suggesting that the motive behind her murder may be deeply personal rather than driven by lust or violence.
Amidst this central plotline, Felton grapples with marital strife when his wife Beth (played by Mary B. Ward) throws him out of their home under suspicions of infidelity. This subplot culminates in a surprising twist at the end of the episode: Felton's affair is revealed to be with Lieutenant Russert herself.
NBC didn’t renew contract with Jon Polito, which meant that character Crosetti will not appear in the show. His absence is briefly addressed, while Crosetti’s paetner Lewis and Munch explore new ventures outside their police work. They decide to invest in a bar but face challenges in finding a partner willing to take on such a risk. While Bolander declines their offer due to his cautious nature, Bayliss unexpectedly agrees to join them in this venture.
The episode also provides intriguing insights into characters' beliefs and backgrounds, particularly regarding religion. Bayliss identifies himself as a "mutt," having been raised across various Christian denominations. In contrast, Pembleton reveals his Jesuit education but admits to being a lapsed Catholic.
One of the standout moments occurs during the cold open when detectives engage in banter while watching a daytime soap opera. Bolander's complaints about gratuitous sex in television programming serve as ironic foreshadowing for later events in the episode when Beth confronts Felton and humiliates him by disrobing, representing the scene in which show’s creators do exactly the same thing Bolander has criticised.
The same cold open also includes Munch’s commentary about television's future—predicting over 500 channels connected via the Internet—proves remarkably prescient nearly three decades later.
Despite its strong performances and direction, Nearer My God to Thee suffers from an over-reliance on sensationalism and exploitative elements that detract from its overall impact. The high-quality material that characterised earlier seasons is noticeably absent here; instead, viewers are left with an episode that feels like it is trying too hard to appeal to mainstream sensibilities. As Homicide transitions into this new phase of its run, it remains evident that balancing artistic integrity with commercial viability will be an ongoing challenge for the series moving forward.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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